The present invention relates to a cap assembly for closing a container and more particularly to a cap assembly having a storage chamber with an inseparable working member for containing a secondary material (ingredient) for example a concentrated liquid or a granule different from a material (ingredient) for example water or a beverage accommodated in a container.
Such a cap assembly is useful in the various industrial fields such as medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and etc.
Generally, when a beverage that requires mixing up a liquid in a container with a granule or a concentrate liquid as additives or secondary ingredients such as carbon dioxide, vitamin powder, etc., it is often necessary that the container has a separate chamber for storage the secondary ingredients.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,962,254, 6,230,884 and 6,854,595 disclose such container having a structure for mixing a primary ingredient with a secondary ingredient in a container. However, the containers disclosed in the above patents have not commercially succeeded because of the problems such as inefficiency in a manufacture process, inconvenience in use, etc.
Recently, PCT/EP2002/004523 filed on Jan. 17, 2002 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-00185428 filed on Jun. 19, 2001 suggested other structure, but a commercial success is not obtained.
Particularly, the structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application mentioned above has a problem that a piece cut out from a discharging port fall into a container and a child may swallow it.
Other structure for separate storage of a secondary ingredient in a container also has a problem that the structure could not be adapted to a neck of a conventional bottle.